


Everything will be alright

by Winters_solstice



Series: Of Mechanical and Flesh Hearts [6]
Category: Destiny (Video Game)
Genre: Bit of violence but not majorly explicit, F/M, Happy Ending, Loss of some kind, Revelations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 21:14:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11044473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winters_solstice/pseuds/Winters_solstice
Summary: A mission goes south, Lexi is left with life changing injuries, Cayde blames himself.





	Everything will be alright

Her team was scattered. They had been ambushed by a number of enemies. Lexi was stuck behind enemy lines while everyone else had fallen back. The young woman had hidden behind some rubble trying to catch her breath. She was bloody and bruised and she doubted she would get out of this. Taken forces had joined in the fray, members of her team had already perished and been brought back several times.  
"This is too much! We need to retreat!" Lexi muttered to herself. She wiped her forehead and checked her guns. She had very little ammo left. Quickly she dashed into an empty building while there was a break in enemy numbers. She pushed herself into the corner and sat in the dirt. Lexi held her breath as a line of Fallen Vandals ran past, she didn't want to be spotted. Suddenly a lone Vandal wandered into the building, Lexi crouched and moved silently towards it. She withdrew her knife and dispatched it quickly.  
  
She listened intently to the noises outside, trying to tell when would be the optimum point to join the fray. When she heard her friends push the enemy back toward her hiding place Lexi would sneak out and take out the enemies closest, trying to thin out the numbers. Each time they were pushed back, Lexi having to fight backwards to escape the growing numbers. She heard a sudden cry and glanced up to see Arux fall.  
"No! Not again!" Lexi gasped. This distraction allowed a Dreg to slice her side. She yelled and shot it in the face. The cut was deep and short but it bled profusely. Lexi grasped her side and retreated towards a rusted vehicle. She slumped against it and removed her hand. She cursed at the amount of blood she'd already lost. Pressing her fingers into the wound, she hissed but tried not to scream and give away her position, focusing on her abilities she produced a bout of energy which cauterised the wound. Sweat ran into Lexi's eyes, she wiped it away as best she could with her bloody hand. The young woman picked off the stray enemies nearby as silently as she could. Suddenly her comms fluttered to life.  
"We need to retreat and regroup!" Umbra-32 called urgently. All the team acknowledged. Lexi sneaked through the enemy numbers, ducking into empty buildings and behind rubble whenever she could. Eventually Lexi managed to get to a building from there she could see the rest of the team nearby.  
  
A swarm of Taken forces flooded the area in front of Lexi, attacking her teammates from afar.  
"Go without me," Lexi whispered into her comms. "I'll get away once a route is clear."  
"Are you sure?" Arux's worried voice came over the comms.  
"Go." Lexi pressed. She watched in relief as they disappeared from sight on their Sparrow's. Lexi waited and waited. Hours passed but the enemy didn't thin out, they seemed to know that she was still there. Carefully Lexi sneaked towards a large abandoned building, she silently stepped down a set of stairs into a basement and hid within the darkness. The young woman shuffled around the room, changing position as she heard Dregs and Vandals creeping around the corridors above. Abruptly a Vandal stumbled down the steps and fell into the darkness. Lexi withdrew her knife and held it close to her, ready to strike. She waited in silence, was it mortally injured and already dead? Lexi moved her foot slightly and regretted it as a small clang echoed in the stale air. A cry came from the Vandal as it lurched towards to sound. Lexi made the mistake of creating a ball of light to see where the enemy was, allowing it to aim for her throat. The woman parried the blades and let out a silent scream as they buried into her shoulder. Lexi shoved her knife into the Vandal's head killing it instantly. She began to feel very light headed and nauseous, Lexi turned to grasp her shoulder. She blanched when she realised it was no longer there. Her left arm had been severed completely. Lexi threw up on the ground beside her.  
  
The young woman crawled towards the stairs of the basement and leant against the wall. She clasped her hand over her bleeding shoulder and bit her lip until she tasted blood as she cauterised the wound. Her breathing became shallow from exhaustion and bloodloss, her remaining arm dropped to the ground below. A spark of energy lit the air, Lexi suddenly withdrew her hand as if she'd received an electric shock. Abruptly a green orb shone in the dark. It floated higher into the air and looked at Lexi.  
"What... happened?" It asked.  
"Y-you're a Ghost?" Lexi asked confused.  
"Yes... you're right... But this... It doesn't feel like the Light that's inside me..." The AI seemed confused.  
"Whatever is in me. P-passed to you. Brought you back." Lexi's head lolled to the side. Her energy waning. The Ghost did a scan of Lexi.  
"You're severely injured."  
"Tell me something I don't know." Lexi bit back.  
"I'm afraid." The Ghost replied. Lexi raised her gaze to it and tapped it, gesturing for it to come closer to her. The Ghost settled down on her leg.  
"My name is Lexi. Well the Vanguard gave it me... I don't actually remember what my name was..." Lexi told the Ghost.  
"You're...not a Guardian." The Ghost realised. Lexi shook her head.  
"I don't feel the Traveller anymore... I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do." The Ghost sounded morose.  
"If I make it out of this. Maybe you could be my Ghost? I know you can't resurrect me. But the company would be nice." Lexi smiled down at it. The Ghost seemed to contemplate for a moment before agreeing.  
"Awesome!" Lexi grinned.  
"Thank you Lexi." The Ghost sounded almost happy. Lexi grasped her shoulder as a shot of pain came from the stump. The young woman whimpered and let the tears fall.  
"I'll never get to see them again... Arux... Umbra... Willow and Daex," Lexi let her head drop forward "I'll never see Cayde again." Lexi let out a quiet sob.  
  
There was a commotion upstairs and Lexi stood with a start, knocking the Ghost off her leg. The young woman held her gun towards the stairs as a group of Dregs made their way down. Lexi could hear shooting and only hoped that it was her team with backup. They chattered between each other, recognising the woman as their weapon. Lexi shifted her gun and placed the barrel under her chin, she took the safety off and had her finger on the trigger.  
"You take another step and I'll pull the trigger and then no-one has their precious weapon." Lexi warned. The crash of the basement door opening made Lexi close her eyes and prepare the pull the trigger.  
"Lexi!" Willow's voice screamed. Lexi looked up with tears in her eyes as her friend used her Golden Gun and wiped out the enemies surrounding her. Lexi dropped to the floor sobbing as Willow ran down the steps and embraced her.  
"Lexi... No... don't tell me..." Willow helped her friend from the ground. Lexi motioned with her head to where her arm was.  
"Fancy giving me a hand?" Lexi sniffled.  
"Very funny. Arux get down here, need something finding!" Willow shouted. The Awoken warlock ran down the steps and gasped at Lexi's appearance.  
"Find her arm... A sentence I never thought I'd say!" Willow ordered. Arux cast a light into the room and quickly located her arm.  
"W-what kind of state?" Lexi asked.  
"Lets get you out of here." Arux spoke. Willow helped Lexi up the steps and glanced back at Arux, he shook his head sadly. Once in the sunlight Lexi's gaze fell on her left shoulder. Next thing she knew the ground was coming up to meet her.  
  
Lexi screamed through the procedure, tears flowing down her face as the anaesthetic did nothing to dull her pain. The surgeons had strapped down her body yet she still fought the restraints. Only a gentle voice and the distant feeling of her hair being stroked made her relax slightly. When she finally came around the left side of her body felt heavy. Her eyes fluttered open and a Ghost was floating in front of her face.  
"You're alive! Thank god! I was afraid I'd be on my own for good!"  
Lexi chuckled and lifted her left arm a little from the bed, it felt too heavy. Her brow furrowed. Lexi screamed. It wasn't her arm she was looking at. Instead of flesh, bone, blood and muscle, the arm was metal and cold. A set of nurses rushed in at the sound.  
"Calm down!" They tried to soothe. The shock eventually caused her to faint and flop to the bed. The next time she woke Lexi simply cried at the state of her arm, she ran her fingers over the metal. It was beautiful craftsmanship but she hated it, she wanted her arm.  
"I'm sorry... they couldn't save it. It'd been deprived of oxygen and blood for too long." The Ghost told her. Lexi nodded silently in understanding.  
  
She had waited for Cayde to come see her. She waited for days. He never came. Her teammates visited her, brought her small gifts and cards wishing her health to return soon. Arux would sit for hours talking to her and the Ghost she'd adopted.  
"Where's Cayde?" Lexi asked glumly.  
"From what I've heard, when he isn't in the Hall, he's getting drunk or gambling half his Glimmer away." Arux spoke slowly.  
"Why?" Lexi's voice was hoarse.  
"If I had to hazard a guess? He feels somewhat responsible for what happened. He sent us on that mission." Arux answered. Lexi nodded sadly.  
"Tell him to visit me. Please. Tell him I asked for him." Lexi wiped away a tear. She needed her friend by her side the past few days, she needed his lighthearted attitude, his smile and his jokes.  
"I will. We all will. Even the rest of the Vanguard are worried over him. He's just not himself since it happened." Arux stood and placed a kiss on Lexi's forehead and left.  
  
Another few days passed and Cayde did not show. Instead when a knock came at her door she was surprised to see Ikora stood there.  
"How are you feeling?" Ikora asked.  
"Extremely sore and this," she motioned to her left arm "Will take some getting used to. Otherwise I feel fine." Lexi answered. The warlock Vanguard sat at Lexi's bedside, she pulled up a table and summoned a board game. Ikora began to set it up.  
"Draughts?" Ikora asked.  
"Sure. It's not like I get a lot to do these days." Lexi sighed.  
"I spoke with the doctor. If you keep improving you'll be out in a few days."  
"But I won't be out in the field again for a long time to come..." Lexi finished.  
"That's right. I'm sorry."  
"There's nothing you have to be sorry for. Neither does Cayde or anyone. It was my own reckless behaviour that got me in this mess. It's my fault and no one else's." Lexi spoke with force. Ikora smiled slightly.  
"I see why he likes you so much." Ikora noted as she made the first move.  
"I just wished he'd come and see me." Lexi tried to refrain from crying.  
"He blames himself. You mean a great deal to him. He sent your team out on that mission-"  
"And like I said. It was my fault I got hurt!" Lexi snapped.  
"I know. I won't argue with you on that." Ikora calmed her.  
"I just wish... I just need him to know."  
"He'll come around soon. It's Cayde. He'll bounce back. He always does." Ikora tried to reassure the young woman. The two women played together for hours until Lexi had to take her medication that knocked her out.  
  
Lexi had been told sternly to take it easy while her shoulder healed around the prosthetic. They'd placed her robotic arm in a sling so it wouldn't tear the skin around the join with its weight. Lexi marched with purpose to deep inside the Tower, pushing herself into a particular room.  
"I need to borrow this." Lexi stated, her body was already exhausted. The Vanguard were stood in the Hall doing their daily duties and sending Guardians off for missions. Suddenly the sound of the Tower P.A coming online caught their attention.  
"Look I know this goes against any rules in place and is in gross abuse of the Tower P.A but I've got something I'd love to say," Lexi was seething. "This is an announcement for Cayde-6 of the Vanguard." She cleared her throat.  
"What the hell Cayde?! In the moment where I need you the most, and you're off feeling sorry for yourself! How many times have I asked you to come to the hospital? You've disappointed me Cayde, you're meant to be my friend, not only have you avoided me, you've been gambling and drinking excessively."  
Cayde looked guiltily down at the table.  
"Look...I just want see you," Lexi sniffled. "I need you to crack a joke and tell me that its going to be okay. It's not the same when anyone else says it."  
Cayde grasped the edge of the table, he could sense Zavala and Ikora's eyes on him. The bang of Lexi slamming her fist onto the desk in the P.A room followed by a whimper came over the system. Cayde ran from the room, his Ghost close behind.  
"For God's sake Cayde! I need you!" Lexi swiped at the tears running down her face. She'd hit the desk with her left fist, causing the skin to tear, blood ran down the metal. She turned off the P.A and sat on the ground, then slumped against the desk, sobbing while holding her left shoulder.  
  
Lexi felt fingers pressed against the underneath of her chin, she lifted her head up. The Exo knelt in front of her shuffled forward to gather the young woman in his arms. He inspected her left shoulder and placed his hand over the tear to try and stop the bleeding. His other hand stroked her hair to soothe her. Lexi grasped onto Cayde tightly, she started to sob.  
"I'm sorry." Cayde whispered. Lexi wrapped her right arm around the back of his neck and hugged the Exo.  
"At least I'm right handed." Lexi gave a small smile. Cayde rested his head on Lexi's right shoulder and let out a sigh.  
"You know, pretty sure at this point I've earned the other meaning of that codename."  
"Amaranthine. Undying, and the colour purple." Cayde chuckled slightly.  
"You're meant to be making me laugh. Not the other way around!" Lexi chastised.  
"Okay sorry."  
The two sat quiet for quite some time, Cayde rubbing little circles into Lexi's side.  
"I thought you weren't going to come back. Then when I saw... I saw how much pain you were in and I felt responsible."  
"And if you had given me five minutes to explain, it was my own fault. I fucked up alright? I only have myself to blame for the state I'm in. I just need you by my side to help me through what's to come." Lexi spoke calmly as she stroked the back of Cayde's hand. Cayde gently cupped Lexi's face, he leaned forward and very carefully pressed his mouthplates against her lips.  
"I love you." Cayde admitted as he pulled away.  
"I think... I think I feel the same. The thought of not seeing you again terrified me. So yeah, Cayde-6 of the Vanguard, I love you too."  
Cayde pulled her tight to his chest.  
"Lets get that arm sorted out," Cayde helped Lexi to stand "Maybe I'll be able to win some of that Glimmer back you won during our gaming." Cayde teased. Lexi laughed.  
"I bet you I'll still be unbeatable!"  
"How much you willing to bet?" Cayde nudged her. As they walked back to the hospital Lexi brushed her fingers against Cayde's hand, gently Cayde took her hand in his. He glanced at Lexi and the two shared a smile and brief chuckle.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I felt as if this was the right direction to go. I'd love to hear your comments on it.
> 
> I'm going to be taking a break for the next few days but there is still more to come!


End file.
